What started as a search for the perfect place to live turned into a life changing gift for an entire community in Antigonish, Nova Scotia.

Amy Hendricks, an internal medicine doctor who has spent much of her career caring for patients in rural Canada, and her husband Paul Davie purchased 46 acres at the foot of Sugarloaf Mountain to build a home with a medical clinic on the main floor. The location allowed Hendricks to stay close to the local hospital and continue serving the community she calls home.

But after settling in, the couple realized the land was far more than they needed. Instead of letting it sit unused, Davie imagined something bigger. Affordable housing for neighbors who were struggling to find a place to live.

The couple donated all 46 acres to the Antigonish Affordable Housing Society, which is now working alongside The Naomi Society and Inclusion Canada to create a mixed community of affordable homes, housing for people with disabilities, and transitional housing for survivors of domestic violence. Each organization received its own parcel of land, right next door to Hendricks and Davie.

Plans for the Sugarloaf development are already underway, with the first phase expected to include 54 energy efficient homes and an estimated opening in 2027. The couple also hopes the community will one day include a daycare and a small corner store, creating a walkable and welcoming neighborhood.

“It’s land we don’t need for ourselves,” Davie said. “It seemed a bit of a waste to just leave it there.”